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Wednesday, 24 May 2017

511) Viswanatha Satyanarayana, Tarigonda Vengamamba & Aatukuri Molla: A set of three Stamps of 500 Paise or Rs.5/- each issued by India Post on 26.04.2017:

The First Day Cover (FDC) shows
on the left, tapestry scenes from Molla’s Ramayana, with the primary image
showing Lord Rama and his consort Sita. Also seen in the image are Sugreeva and
Hanuman and Rama’s brother Lakshmana. Below the image is inscribed “Aatukuri
Molla”, “Viswanatha Satyanarayana” and “Tarigonda Vengamamba’ (in both Hindi
and English).

The three postage stamps
of 500 Paise or Rs.5/- each depict “Aatukuri Molla”, “Viswanatha Satyanarayana”
and “Tarigonda Vengamamba” in this order. The Cancellation hand-stamp is
inscribed “Viswanatha Satyanarayana” and “Tarigonda Vengamamba’ (in both Hindi
and English) on the upper periphery and “Aatukuri Molla” on the lower
periphery. In the centre is an inkpot and a quill pen symbolising the “tools”
of a writer/poet. The Cancellation is of New Delhi GPO and is dated 26.04.2017.

The Information Brochure
issue at the time of release of the stamps

Technical Data:

Issuer: Department of Posts, India or India Post

Date of Issue: 26.04.2017

Denomination of Stamps: 500 Paise or Rs.5/- Each

No. of Stamps Printed: 301,590

Printing Process: Wet Offset

Printer: Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About
Viswanatha Satyanarayana (10.09.1895-18.10.1976):

He is acclaimed by the
learned as “Kavi Samrat”
(meaning “Emperor among poets”) and is a legend in the Telugu speaking States
of India. He was born in a traditional family on 10.09.1895, in a small
village, Nandamuru in Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh.

He was highly learned
in Indian Classics, like the – Mahabharata,
Bhagavatha and the Ramayana. He had a masterly grasp of
the works of Kalidasa, Bhavabhooti, Bharavi, Bhartruhari et al. He had a command
over Sanskrit, Telugu and English languages all of which he taught in
several colleges during his career as a Professor. He wrote profusely
and had at least – 30 “Kavyas”, 20
Plays, 60 Novels, 10 Literary criticisms, 200 3-Play-lets, 10 Essays in English,
10 works in Sanskrit, 3 translations, 100 introductions and forewords, as well
as, several Radio talks. Some of his poems and novels have been translated into
English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Urdu and Sanskrit.

His most celebrated
works are “Srimad Ramayana
Kalpavruksham” and “Veyi Padagalu”
translated from Telugu into Hindi by the former Indian Prime Minister P.V.
Narasimha Rao as “Sahasra Phani”
(meaning “The many-hooded snake”). Plays among which the most famous ones are:
“Nartanashala”, Shivaji-Roshanara (a
historic play), Vena Raju, literary criticisms like “Shakunalamu Yokka Abhigrantha”, “Sitayascharitam Mahat”, “Sahitya
Surabham” et al.

About
Tarigonda Vengamamba (20.04.1730-21.08.1817):

She was born on 20.04.1730,
in the village Tarigonda over 100 kilometres from the famous temple town
Tirumala in the Chittoor District of the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh.

From her childhood, she
used to visit the Narasimhaswamy Temple in the village. From her mother
she learned many hymns and devotional songs, in the rendering of which
she spent most of her time.

She was married at the
age of eight (child marriage) but before joining her husband, she declared
that Lord Balaji (Venkateswara) was her husband and no one else could take his
place. Meanwhile, a few days later, her wedded husband passed away, but
she refused to consider herself as a widow and continued to dress as a
married woman.

Instructed by Acharya
Subrahmanyudu, she became a “Yogini”.
She moved to tirumala where she was welcomed by the priests and descendants of
another great “Bhakta” (devotee) Annamayya.

Her reputation as a “Yogini” preceded her arrival in Tirumala
Tirupati.

Vengamamba did not go
to any school, neither was she taught by any teacher. She became a great
poetess and composed a variety of devotional literature such as “Vishnu Parijatham”, “Chenchu Natakam”, “Rukmini Natakam”, “Jala Krida
Vilasam” and “Mukthi Kanthi Vilasam”
(all Yaksha Ganams), “Gopi Natakam” (Golla Kalapam – Yakshaganam), “Rama
Parinayam”, Sri Bhagavatham, “Sri Krishna Manjari”, “Tatva Keerthanalu” and “Vashista Ramayanam” (Dwipada), “Sri Venkataachala Mahatyam” (Padya Prabhandam) and “Ashtanga Yoga Saram” (Padyakruthi).
Her literary works of many varieties were inscribed on thousands of
palm-leaves. She passed away in a “Deeksha”
on 21.08.1817.

Aatukuri
Molla (1440-1530):

Poetess Aatukuri Molla
(“Molla” means “Jasmine” in Telugu) was born on 13.03.1440 in Village
Gopavaram, Kaluvayi Mandalam of Nellore District in the Indian State of Andhra
Pradesh.

For generations, Molla’s
ancestors were “Siva Bhaktas”
(meaning “the devotees of the Indian God Siva”, who was also known as
“Mallanna” in Telugu speaking territories).

She was not schooled
and tutored in the traditional way. Her literary talent is described
as “Sahaja Panditya”, a gift
from Srikantha Malleswara Swamy. Although coming from a family of “Shiva Bhakts”, she devoted her life in the
worship and praise of Lord Rama, one of Lord Vishnu’s “avatars” (incarnations).

Molla’s Ramayana in Telugu
is very popular among the masses, particularly, because it
is in a simple and beautiful language. Her Ramayana contains a little
over 870 poems and prose. She expanded upon those events in Rama’s life
which concern ordinary people in their daily life, in their trials and
tribulations, in their triumphs and failures, in their pleasures and pains.

Molla was the first
woman poet who wrote the Ramayana in Telugu. Her literary merit was
held by scholars as precious and as meritorious as that of the most learned and
accomplished and decorated poets.

A statue has been
installed for her in Kadapa town in Andhra Pradesh. There is a temple
dedicated to Molla in Guntur town of Andhra Pradesh. A film was made on
her and her version of the Ramayana. She passed away in 1530.

About Me

I am Rajeev Prasad, a retired State Bank of India officer who had been collecting coins in a shoe box without having a serious interest. Only after quitting my job I got the time to take serious interest in developing my coin collection into a hobby. A pity, because I would have had more opportunity to lay my hands on more 'exclusive coins' while in the Bank. Anyway, as they say,better late than never. If you have any views to share with me regarding this blog , please contact me on my email rajeevprasad1208@gmail.com. I also have a twitter account @prasad_rajeev.
I had an opportunity to participate in a Documentary on the life and times of the 25 paise coin titled “Chal Basi Chavanni” (The four anna/twenty five paise coin passes away), aired by STAR NEWS on 29th and 30th June 2011. The programme helped in making many persons hold back onto their “chavannis”, the little round beauties, instead of returning them to Banks .